In the spring of 2019, the life of 32-year-old LaTarica Stripling was tragically cut short in a violent act that unfolded in front of her own children. On the evening of April 25, 2019, in Memphis, Tennessee, Stripling was shot and killed during what authorities described as a domestic situation. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. in the 700 block of Kentucky Street, where witnesses reported hearing gunshots and discovering Stripling in a parking lot.
First responders pronounced her dead at the scene.
The immediate aftermath of the shooting revealed the heartbreaking reality that Stripling's children had witnessed their mother's murder. Investigators quickly identified her estranged husband, Michael McKinnie, as the primary suspect. A warrant for his arrest was issued the following day on charges of first-degree murder, reckless endangerment, and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. It was reported that McKinnie had a history of violent criminal behavior.
Following a nearly two-week manhunt, the U.S. Marshals Service located and apprehended Michael McKinnie on May 7, 2019. He was found in the 8000 block of Whispering Elm and taken into custody without incident. At the time of his arrest, the 38-year-old was officially charged with first-degree murder and two counts of reckless endangerment for the killing of his estranged wife. The community mourned the loss of Stripling, who was remembered by family and friends as a mother of three and a local small business owner.
